Heaven 17

Comment:

Revived for a new generation by La Roux, who cited the band as a big influence, Heaven 17 formed a stylish, funky and eminently danceable component within the early ’80s synthpop machine, with roots in the Human League. Lynchpin members Martin Ware and Ian Craig Marsh had sidelined into production unit the British Electric Foundation before recruiting the magnificently rich pipes of frontman Glenn Gregory, and dropping 1981’s excellent Penthouse and Pavement — lyrically and visually, the outfit made clear its social criticisms of the Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher and even picked up a radio ban, courtesy of Radio 1 DJ Mike Read, for “(We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thing”. 1983 would supply Heaven 17’s biggest hit, “Temptation”, a towering track supplemented by the powerhouse vocals of Carol Kenyon.